1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to a light emitting diode (LED) package and a method for manufacturing the LED.
2. Description of Related Art
LEDs have many beneficial characteristics, including low electrical power consumption, low heat generation, long lifetime, small volume, good impact resistance, fast response and excellent stability. These characteristics have enabled the LEDs to be widely used as a light source in electrical appliances and electronic devices.
The LEDs are one-way conducting elements. If current flows through the LEDs in a forward direction, the LEDs emit light. If current flows through the LEDs in a reverse direction, the LEDs fail to emit light. In addition, the LEDs would be broken down if the reverse current is too large. There is unpredictable current, such that caused by static electricity, which may flow through the LEDs in the reverse direction during the operation of the LEDs. A voltage stabilizing diode such as a Zener diode, is therefore applied to the LEDs for preventing the LEDs from damage by such unpredictable current in the reverse direction. A typical design of the Zener diode is reverse parallel connecting the Zener diode with the LEDs via wires and positioning the Zener diode outside of the package of the LEDs. The reverse parallel connection means that the Zener diode is connected in parallel with LEDs while the Zener diode is reverse biased and the LEDs are forward biased. Such design has some deficiencies. For example, such a connection way results in a complicated structure, and a large volume of the LEDs. More importantly, such a connection way may not obtain a stable electrical connection between the Zener diode and the LEDs after the LEDs having been use for a certain time.
What is needed is an LED package and a method for manufacturing the LED package which can overcome the problem of the prior art.